I had a dream last night that I was Buffy who is also me (Hanna) and I forgot to publish buffy today and I woke up in a hot sweat. I blame y'all for classically conditioning me. Anyway, more episodes on Patreon!!! www.patreon.com/thenormies

15:18 "Why couldn't it be Parker?" Because they need a victim who has a heart.

"That's me as a vampire? I'm so skanky.... Plus I think I'm kind of gay." - Willow, season 3

Poor Editor. Not only did they get spoiled looking up if Trachtenberg was in Buffy, they spent the whole video censoring Pat's chest 😆

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this, but Joss Whedon said he wrote this episode in response to critics who said the show’s success relied on its witty dialogue so decided to do an episode largely without it. The theme of the episode is communication, how hard it is to sometimes speak your truth, so when their voices are taken they are freed to show how they feel. The way it ended shows how difficult it is to talk about things.

Hush was really a landmark in television... I think we got 20+ minutes of no actual dialogue on a broadcast television episode... That's takes some masterful storytelling to pull off (and allow network execs to buy-in)..

Suraj yelling Harriet the Spy is absolutely hilarious.

Chris points out why season four is probably my favorite season. While the season long story arc isn't as strong as other seasons, there's a lot of good changes and important character development with the central characters. This season also has several memorable episodes that have some of the strongest writing in the series.

I LOVE that there is a divide on whether or not Willow and Tara are flirting. Every episode, please discuss further!! 😊

Fun Hocus Pocus connection since Marketa mentioned it. The main Gentlemen was played by Doug Jones that also played Billy Butcherson . He's also been in a bunch of Guillermo del Toro movies.

You can tell the lead Gentleman is Doug Jones just from the way he moves his hands.

This episode was nominated for an Emmy and is one of the best episodes of TV ever. It's nomination was rare for genre TV back and it deserves all it's praise. I've been going back and rewatching because of these guys and am currently listening to a podcast who are rewatching to and S4 has some incredible episodes, but I like to issue apology to S6 because some stuff in S4 simply doesn't work and the creators say that as well.

When you finish the show, you should play the Buffy board game by Jasco. It’s a collaborative game where you fight monsters from the show. If you pull “The Gentlemen”, you’re not allowed to talk to each other until they’ve been defeated.

23:13 I have literally been waiting for ALMOST A YEAR for you guys to get to that tiny moment of Anya making the finger gesture… and you did not disappoint!! 😂

This was the only Buffy episode that truly terrified me.

Spidey and Rana's reactions were great throughout this ep. Loved it!

Gentlemen blow up. Markets busts out laughing. Pat: I've never seen Marketa laugh about someone dying! So true. Great observation, Pat. 😄

The legendary Doug Jones was the main "gentleman", famous for been cover in prostetics, has famous roles like Abe Sapiens (hellboy), pale man (pans laberynth), anfibian man (the shape of water), Billy Butcherson (hocus pocus) and many others

OMG, everyone cracking up at Anya's um,"sign language" was hysterical, same for Buffy's motions of staking. So many things in this ep that I couldn't wait to see your reactions. But I was actually surprised Pat didn't jump after seeing one of the Gentlemen float past the window that Olivia was looking out. I remember that made me jump the first time I watched. This is just a perfect episode, it had genuine scares and laughs and probably the creepiest one off villains on this show. Joss Whedon does a good commentary for it on the S4 dvds

Loved seeing you guys react to this one again, with context this time! This is consistently one of the highest rated episodes of Buffy, and definitely the creepiest.

The Gentlemen are an excellent metaphor for some of the worst villains of real life, well-dressed and smiling as they float by untouchably with their minions doing their grunt work. Like rapists, racists, and any corrupt or exploitative wealthy men, the Gentlemen thrive when the whole society is silent, and the only way to defeat them is to find your voice.

This episode was the last episode to air in December 1999 before the Christmas new year break so this is the final time we can say it… In the 90s, in the 90s, in the 90s, in the 90s

The gentlemen are the scariest demons of all time; when I first saw them I said they looked like real estate agents. Ever since I've been calling them real estate demons.

Oooof that editors note at 5:47

Joss Whedon read a review of the show which said the dialogue was the best part so he decided to write an episode with no dialogue.

'Guys I can't hear the dialogue! Shut up!' I lived in a house where everyone talked over the dialogue during Buffy. I swear my stare was enough to silent them...

Chris doing the hand movements and everything kept cracking me up 😂😂

The best episode of S4 by far. Brilliant innovative writing, The Gentlemen were among the scariest of BTVS monsters. The cast recalled it was actually exhausting to film with the effort that had to be put in talk but stay silent. The nightmare of being cut into and not being able to scream shown when the student is being held down while The Gentlemen extract his heart, really frightening. The comedy between Xander and Spike brings a little light relief, and also our introduction to Tara. A great stand alone episode. This is a brilliant episode but there three more in S5 and one more in S6 that even eclipse this!

At the beginning of the episode, Professor Maggie Walsh: So this is what it is. Talking about communication. Talking about language. Not the same thing.

This has solidified to be being their greatest reaction series to date. Can't wait for them to react to so many surprises and moments in upcoming episodes of Buffy. Great stuff.

I laughed at Buffy's indignation about her hips in Gile's sketch presentation. The Gentleman are terrifying enough, but those creatures in open straitjackets is the perfect touch (Resident Evil vibe).

Props to the editor, this was masterful. Great reaction to a brilliant episode!! Also if yall could always cry "LESBIAN LOVE" during tara scenes i'd really appreciate it thanks

I lost it with Rana nearly falling off the couch at Anya's attempt of "sign language" 😂😂😂😂

This was one of the final episodes of 1999. I think the next episode was the midseason "finale" for Christmas break since Buffy was typically 22 episodes per season. So NOW you guys can be like "IT'S 2000 IN THE YEAR 2000" in your Nickelback & Blink-182 voices.

This episode is so good, I always forget it's the episode we get introduced to Tara.

25:03 Yeah, I noticed you were watching the widescreen version when Riley and Forrest came out of the elevator and you could see the "In case of emergency" sign behind them before Professor pointed to it. The widescreen version has LOTS of problems and you really shouldn't watch it.

Now that you've met Tara, you have got to watch Can't Hardly Wait. It has nothing to do with Buffy lore, but there are no less than 9 characters from that movie that had guest spots in the first 3 seasons (plus Amber Benson). Might be fun to watch you guys try to pick them out.

Spike and Xander are great. Btw i remember when this ep came out, it was one of the best and its so well done. Think of how bold of a choice it is to have an ep where there is no dialogue in the meat of the ep just in the begining and end.

Marketa's laugh 🤣 25:48

Those monsters, The Gentlemen, were, in fact, from someone's dream. Joss Whedon himself had the dream. This is widely considered third on the list of best Buffy episodes. Personally, I'd put it at fourth or fifth. By the way, The Gentlemen were played by professional mimes, including and especially Doug Jones as the lead Gentleman. Joss was on record as saying he disliked mimes, up until he made this episode. Then he ended up respecting the craft. To be able to pull of this level of storytelling WITHOUT dialogue, it's not just a testament to Joss as a writer/director, but also to the cast. I have to say, you guys watching this episode with context is SO much more satisfying than you guys watching it without context. It took a long time for you to get here, but I'm glad you did.

9:01 Spike's always been tied pretty loose ever since his neutering and had every chance to escape, but didn't. Dude's so lonely, he enjoyed the Scoobs' company lmao

Did they just introduce one of the best characters on the best episode of the series - why yes they did! ♥ Absolutely brilliant episode! Guess Buffy is now officially a 'scream queen' 😃

Hush, The Body and Once More With Feeling are the 3 best episodes of the series, 100%...

23:14, LOL, Rana's reaction at Anya's... gesture! :p Damn!

The acting, direction, choreography, music. It’s all there in this episode. Incredible television 👌🏻

This episode is peak BtVS. Also...Tara💜

There are THREE iconic and timeless episodes in Buffy and you just watched the first one. This episode is so good especially when you know why Joss even made this episode in the first place it makes it even better xD

Kinda surprised by how naive some of the group are when it came to Willow/Tara. I remember watching this when it originally aired and I just got it right away. I was kinda surprised but in a good way, brave of the show to go this route.

Pat with his tit out for most of the most anticipated, beloved episode of the show is hilarious to me

Senator Rick Scott of Florida was used as the model. 😂

This is top tier buffy for sure. What warms the cockles of my heart is just how much top tier is still to come.

IMHO, Season 5 is peak Buffy.

Episodes like this make me feel nostalgic for the old format of TV episodes...now due to all streaming shows,most of the TV shows feel like an hour movie instead of standalone episodes...i mean the fact that you can watch this episode alone without watching the show ever and enjoy it says something..when was the last time you chose any episode of any tv show and enjoy it being standalone...i kinda miss those kind of episodes from modern TV

One of the best episodes, and i forgot its also our introduction to the adorable Tara

“Hey look it’s Harriet the Spy…” me looking side to side.

Yes, the heads exploding at the end was hilarious even when it aired. 😂

"Bring someone from out of town!" That would have been a good solution, and it might be what happened with the princess in the fairy tale. Another theory is that she was a baby born that day.

My favorite episode of Buffy, and of any television show. Fact about this episode this was nominated for an Emmy Award in Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.

21:02 I am so dead I am LOSING MY SHIT at “tactical churro” that is fucking hilarious

23:14 Great reaction to Anya’s gesture!

If I remember correctly this is the only episode of Buffy that was ever Emmy nominated. This was a big deal when it first came out.

@15:16 "Why couldn't it be Parker?" OMG best comment EVER. Why didn't anyone ever think of that before fr!!

I've read where SMG didn't like, or couldn't pull off the long scream that they wanted , so they had someone else do the scream and dubbed it (or whatever it's called)

"Laryngitis? Thats a bold cover-up"....what? Mickey as far as they can tell that IS whats happening

I love Mickey calling out Giles' first "Welcome everyone" projector slide as superfluous, and I really wanted to see his reaction to the one that was literally just the word "however" that he used to land a dramatic pause Also love their reaction to the finger in hole gesture from Anya.

I've been looking forward to this one because The Normies reacted to it as a solo episode six years ago. Watching any Buffyverse episode without context would be confusing. Six years ago Buffy reactions weren't as populated throughout KZfaq and most people reacting to them were thinking fun episodes to react to and get The Normies interested without thinking first-timers would need context. That is why The Normies reacted to this six years ago. Although I think Chris, at 24:25-24:29, is correct also. I love that Spike doesn't consider Xander bitable and we've had a past episode with Willow flattered that he would bite her. Americans definitely had no idea, at the time, what the sign was Spike made. They didn't just use it in that moment for the episode, but put the clip in the opening credits. 14:25-14:28 Yes, mimes are terrifying as that's who was hired to get the great hand movements and scary smiles. I was waiting for The Normies reaction to Buffy's unintentional jerk-off motion. Same with Anya's finger gesture, and The Gentleman's death. Although I'm with Pat when it concerns Marketa about The Gentleman's death. I expected her to be grossed out over laughing. It just now hit me that in terms of the script and fairy tales in general, Tara could be a princess (rather than the princess) with Buffy and Willow being the others. Buffy for being the one to scream them to death and Tara and Willow for using their powers together to save themselves from death. And that's on top of the idea that people make a generalized acceptance in fairy tale lore that they need to be rescued, and therefore assume Tara will either die or need to be rescued when she trips. Everyone but Buffy and Riley learned how to communicate verbally when non-verbal communication was taken away. 28:21-28:34 Actually, the whole idea of the episode came from the writer being praised for dialogue and a backhanded compliments in reviews saying snappy dialogue was all the series had going for it. He proved reviewers wrong. What Chris likes about the season are what many people say they dislike, but the amusing thing is that many first-time viewers, and even some recurring viewers don't realize is that it is all part of the main arc of the transition from high school to college which is preparation for the real world, which is what _Angel the Series_ is about, as _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ is a coming of age story.

Rana: You guys have clearly not watched Charmed. Me: Rana clearly doesn't know much about the history of witches. And while I never watched Charmed, I know that era of TV/movies and I bet if Rana goes back to watch it with a Queer Eye that she'll pick up on the innuendos. Rana, while it's still Pride Month I would like to inform you the MAIN reason people were burned at the stake as "witches" and "warlocks". It's because they were found out to be GAY and was seen as something unholy & ungodly so they MUST be aligned with the devil and witchcraft. Whenever they did find male & female gay couples together the men would be placed at the bottom (hence the F word ORIGINALLY meaning a "small bit of wood used to make fire" becoming associated with homosexual men) while the women were tied up to the stake as the "main event". Occasionally, like in Salem, you would have people executed for more witchcraft like accusations. But mostly people were executed as "witches" because they were gay.

Suraj - pretty sure Shakespeare said that before Matt Damon

Good way to start off Pride Month

this is the first of two episodes that were dedicated to the concept of "if people can't speak, they can finally communicate"

Rana forgets that they were SISTERS in Charmed😂. So lesbian vibes wouldn’t be in that show. But yes, Willow and Tara…gal pals.

One of my favorite episodes, the news anchor was an actually News anchor in Los Angeles at the time. I love your reactions it's so easy tofoget that these are 20 or more years ago so Giles with the overhead projector was how we got information in school, teachers had to write a bunch of stuff on transparencies ahead of time for lessons or in math would do it live on the transparency and erase it. No texting on cellphones to communicate. We're so spoiled now.

"... and do the old, 'British sex' thing, which I assume means they eat Vegemite after." - Haha! Wait, no, that's Australia! We like Marmite. "No, my bad ..." - Ah there we go. "British people like marmalade." - ...

“Harriet the spy” 🦻wait

I need Rana & Spidey to make content together theyre a whole Bestie Vibe that I dig so much 😂😂

Hush, hush, I thought I heard her Calling my name now Hush, she took my heart But I love her just the same now Hush, thought I heard her Calling my name now Hush, hush, I need her loving But I'm not to blame now

I watched this when I was like 10 and was terrified so my dad put a picture of the gentlemen on my pillow, you best believe I screamed 😂

Mark 20:23. "Murderers", you say? But they're different species! Okay, then "PETA" is right, "meat is murder"?! 😊 Desk Officer: "This is the police department. How may I help you?" Caller: "A butcher just murdered a pig and her piglits!" D.O.: "I'll put you through to what used to 'Homicide'!" D.O.: "Police. How may I help you?" Caller: " A Gentleman just took my brother's heart!" D.O.: "I take it that you don't mean that in a poetic and romantic way?" 😂😅

This is still an amazing episode, even after all this time. Great reaction, folks, and also just on your comment of Spike and Xander being a good duo - 'Spander' was a huge fan ship, so you're not the only ones who like their dynamic! :)

Are they really editing out by blurring Pat’s hairy chest? Hilarious!!

As a viewer who has chronically lost my voice I can tell you that going mute is extremely frustrating and emotionally draining. Even knowing my voice would eventually come back not being able to communicate when I wanted or needed to felt catastrophic. that was on a regular day but when things were happening and communicating was necessary not being able to speak drove me mad. Edited for errors.

It’s so funny, I played orchestral music for like forty years, I’m blanking on the Saint Saens piece..OH..”Danse Macabre,”..fun piece, has a little supernatural theme, the oboe solo when Giles raises his hand represents a sunrise which breaks the witches’ spell..or something like that..

This is around the time when Buffy went from being great to brilliant. They practically invented the high concept sci fi episode. It's also around the time that Spielberg and Lucas stated that it was the best thing in television and when Lucas invited them to film in the Attack of the Clones set in Australia, but Whedon was all like: that's nice, but we don't have the story or budget to go to Australia. This, together with the 2 other big ones (maybe 3) is why they got the Peabody.

Oh, Rana...😂 Lol how does amber Benson look like Harriet the spy??

I hope these guys and gals are smart enough to not read the comments. Some of the people the Buffy community just can't help themselves with spoilers. 😡

I have a picture of Doug Jones (the main Gentleman actor, and many other monsters) hugging me at a Comic Con.

It's like they have the hilariously wacky uber politeness of the Mayor, but they're way way scarier. The idea that they can cut your heart out, and you can't scream for help... HORRIFYING. I think these villains scared me the most of all the Buffy villains.

This reaction lived up to my expectations 😂

Best episode of Buffy ever. I’ve been looking forward to you guys watching this

23:14 Rana reaction 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Obviously I love this episode 😂 The Gentlemen are awesome. So many great scenes in this one. Comedy gold.

When life gets just a little bit scary (like maybe a huge pandemic happens) people start acting a little crazy. People were buying so much liquor or weed when the Pandemic hit that for weeks these stores ran out. I'm sure you remember what happened to the toilet paper

IIRC from the DVD commentary, the actors of the Gentlemen once decided to go to the cafeteria on set in full make-up and acting in character...you can imagine most people just lost their appetite and had other things to do^^

Halloween costume idea. A black suit, a hover board painted black, and a meme rage face mask. 😂

Iconic episode!

Sometimes I think some people in this group might know of some spoilers 🤔

Fun. Props to the editor for the pixelation. Totally necessary. Thanks.

Harriet the spy.... Next season. "Be home before Dawn..."

Season 4 is my favorite, too!

Pat's nip slips being blurred was hilarious.